Devil Sent the Rain

For the most part, I thought this was a very good mystery novel. And even though it's part of an established series, it works very nicely as a stand-alone work. I haven't read any of the earlier books in the series, and I never felt that put a damper on my enjoyment.

And I did enjoy it, even though I thought it was a little too long. I seem to be saying that about nearly every book I read these days — but in this case, I really do think the book would have been a more powerful experience if the author had tightened it up a bit. There's so much description that a lot of it just sounds like padding — I like local color as much as anyone, but I really don't need to have the complete history of every building or location the main character enters, drives by, or calls up in his memory. Also, there are quite a few characters to keep track of, and I kept having to go back and remind myself who was who and how they all related to the story. That slowed things down even more.

So, not a four-star read but very entertaining anyway. I definitely wouldn't mind reading more in this series.

(I received my copy of this book from the publisher, free of charge, through Library Thing's Early Reviewer program. No other compensation was received, and no one tried to influence my opinion of the book.) ( )

What is there to say about this one except the one word...AWESOME! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were very well written and stayed true throughout the story. The plot kept thickening. Read this one when you have plenty of time to just sit around and have a me day because you won't want to put it down once you start to read. Kudos to the author Lisa Turner...job very well done....maybe more books with the main characters Billy Able and Frankie...nice thought!!!! ( )

I prefer to start series at the beginning, so I got the first two before reading this, and I'm glad I did. This can be read as a stand-alone, but I thought I got more out of it having the backstory. Well-written description of the South as well as the human characters. I love finding new mystery authors, so I'm glad I received this book. Adding Lisa Turner (and Det. Billy Able) to my list. ( )

Lisa Turner's newest release is Devil Sent the Rain, the latest installment in her Detective Billy Able series. It's a first read of this author for me - but won't be my last. (And yes, this could be read as a stand-alone)

A good prologue always draws me into a book, eager to find answers to what has been presented in the first few pages.....who and why being the ones that spring to mind most often. The opening of Devil Sent the Rain absolutely drew me in. An unnamed pregnant woman, driving to her own wedding, is shot in cold blood.

Billy Able and his partner Frankie Malone of the Memphis Police Dept. boast the highest solve rate on the squad. They're handed this case when the identity of the high profile victim is discovered. The pressure is on from both the victim's family and police higher-ups to solve it quickly.

This was my first introduction to this pair. For the record, Frankie is a woman. Both are strong characters with very different personalities. Frankie is smart, tough and ambitious. Billy has some baggage, but he too is a smart cop, often relying on his intuition and hunches. They play off each other well. References are made to past cases, but I never felt out of the loop. Instead, I felt like reading more of this pair by picking up the previous two books.

Turner also brings in the South as a character. Attitudes and history are woven into everyday descriptions and settings, as well as figuring into the plot. Turner is from Memphis and her personal knowledge adds to the tone and tenor of the novel.

Turner's plotting is well paced, relying more on interactions and dialogue than forensic evidence for the final whodunit. And this is what I liked about the book - it is character driven. We become invested in the lead characters. And there is no doubt as to who is on the other side of the fence - they're quite easy to dislike. Billy's personal connection to the victim and her family makes the case personal. The run up to the final whodunit is fairly well telegraphed, but there are many red herrings and a choice of suspects laid along the way to muddy the waters and keep the reader wondering until that last chapter. (How many metaphors did I just mangle!)

I always enjoy the origin of a book title. In this case it's a discussion of the circumstances surrounding another death....

"They brought in boats and dragged the fields and tried to search the riverbanks, but the current was too fast. It started to rain. Poured for three days. I stopped at a convenience store for sandwiches and coffee. This crazy-looking woman in line got in my face and whispered, 'The devil sent the rain.' Then she crossed herself. It was creepy."

I love discovering new authors and series and Lisa Turner has been added to my list of authors to follow. ( )

A much stronger installment in this series, much more polished and enjoyable than A Little Death in Dixie and continuing the improved main characters from Gone Dead Train. Gone are the annoying dead ends, replaced with interesting secondary characters and relevant twists resulting in an entertaining read. As a native Memphian I really enjoyed trying to guess who in this one. ( )